As the BBC medical drama Casualty celebrates its 40th anniversary, several actors familiar to Coronation Street viewers are being remembered for their earlier roles in the emergency department at Holby City Hospital.
Casualty first aired on BBC One on September 6, 1986, with ten main cast members. Set in the emergency department at the fictional Holby City Hospital, the Bafta-winning show is recognised as the longest-running primetime medical drama series in the world. It is now overseen by former EastEnders executive producer Jon Sen.
Anniversary Special and Spin-off History
The show led to a hit spin-off, Holby City, which aired from 1999 until its cancellation in 2022. Casualty has been filmed at Cardiff's BBC Roath Lock Studios since 2011 and is expected to move to a new fictional hospital in Wales next year.
To mark four decades since its launch, Casualty fans are being treated to a dramatic anniversary special with a two-part story, airing on Saturday (September 5) on BBC One, starting at 8pm. The storyline involves a major explosion at St James' Hospital that throws Holby into chaos, with paramedics searching through rubble and those at Holby City Hospital holding together a large-scale rescue operation.
Jane Hazlegrove's Casualty Years
Jane Hazlegrove, who has played Bernie Winter in Coronation Street since 2019, was probably best known for portraying Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon on and off for 20 years in Casualty. She joined the drama in 2006 as the paramedic. However, Dixie wasn't Jane's only role in Casualty and its spin-off, as she played Angela Regis in Casualty in 1996 and 2006, respectively, and Anne Fryer in Holby City in 2003.
Georgia Taylor's Role as Ruth Winters
Georgia Taylor made her debut in Corrie as Toyah at just 17 years old, back in 1997. Toyah later left the Street in 2003, leading Georgia to take on other acting roles. The actress, from Wigan, joined the cast of Casualty as doctor Ruth Winters in 2007, and she was a series regular until 2011. Ruth was an ambitious medical student from a troubled family and was at the centre of several huge storylines, including one where she attempted to take her own life after misdiagnosing several patients. After years of struggling, during which she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Ruth eventually left the hospital after she became trapped during a fire in the ED.
In September 2016, after a 13-year absence, Georgia's comeback to the cobbles as Toyah was announced, and the character made an explosive return at Christmas when it was revealed that she had left her husband of five years, Toby Chapman, for Peter Barlow.
Sue Devaney's Early Paramedic Role
Sue Devaney is much adored for playing hotel owner Debbie Webster in Corrie, a role she first took on more than three decades ago, when she was 16. Debbie originally moved to Coronation Street as a fifteen-year-old in 1984, with Sue the only actress to have ever portrayed the character. Sue previously revealed how she only returned to Corrie after 34 years in 2019 for a six-episode stint, but has remained there for the past seven years. Fans were left devastated last year when it was confirmed that Sue's time on the cobbles would eventually come to an end after Debbie was diagnosed with early-onset vascular dementia.
As well as her Corrie role, some may remember Sue for playing paramedic Liz Harker between 1994 and 1997 in Casualty. During her time on the show, her character's storylines included being held at knifepoint by a clinically depressed man and being dumped by her boyfriend, John.
